


Truth Behind the Scar

by skippy_is_invisible



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24958585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skippy_is_invisible/pseuds/skippy_is_invisible
Summary: Zuko finally opens up to the Gaang as to how he got his scar.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 6
Kudos: 305





	Truth Behind the Scar

**Author's Note:**

> This is just some dumb idea I wrote at 3 a.m. I hope you like it.

Zuko didn’t exactly know how he ended up in the current situation. Oh wait... yes he did.

After a long day of training, Team Avatar was enjoying themselves sitting around the fire Zuko had made, eating a well deserved dinner.

They were all laughing, telling stories, making jokes. Zuko didn’t contribute much to the conversation but occasionally laughed. Eventually their conversation switched to talking about their childhood and how they grew up.

Aang told them about what life was like with the monks, more specifically Monk Gyatso. 

Sokka and Katara talked about what their childhood was like. Except for their mother being murdered and their father leaving to go join the war. Sokka complained about being the only ‘man’ left in his tribe. Katara rolled her eyes. She told them about being the only water bender left and how she struggled to learn to water bend properly.

Toph did say much. She mostly complained about her parents treating her like she was helpless. Not to mention how much she despised high society in general. 

Suki told the gaang what it was like to grow up training to become a Kyoshi Warrior.

“So you started training when you were six?” Sokka asked.

“Pretty much.” Suki smiled, “By the time I was twelve I was top of my class.”

“You’re so cool.” Sokka gushed.

“What about you Zuko?” Aang asked.

“What about me?”

“We all told you our childhood stories. Now it’s your turn.”

“Uh…” Zuko felt his anxiety begin to grow.

“Yeah!” Sokka chimed in. “What was it like growing up in the palace? Is high society really as awful as Toph says it is?”

Zuko looked at his best friend, unsure how or which question to answer first.

Zuko began to pick at his nails. A nervous habit he just couldn’t seem to break

“Well…”

Sokka interrupted Zuko, “I know! How did you get your scar?”

“Sokka!” Katara smacked her brother on the back of his head, shooting Zuko an apologetic look.

“What? I’m just curious.”

“Yah Zuko. How did you get your scar?” Aang asked.

Zuko began to panic but tried his best not to show it.

Relax. They’re your friends. They won’t judge you. Zuko repeated in his head a few times.

Toph must have felt Zuko’s heart beat. She placed her hand on his shoulder. Zuko flinched.

“It’s okay.” Toph whispered.

Zuko only nodded in response.

“Zuko?” Sokka now sounded concerned. 

Zuko cursed himself for worrying his friends.

“You don’t have to talk about it. I didn’t mean to pry.”

Zuko looked down at the grass, then back up at Sokka.

“No, it’s okay.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I thought you knew.”

Sokka shook his head and Zuko took another breath. Toph squeezed his shoulder as a sign of support.

“When… When I was thirteen I went to a war meeting with my uncle. I wasn’t supposed to speak. I was only there to observe.” Zuko felt like he was about to have a panic attack and Toph sensed it.

“Hey Sparky, why don’t you take a break. You don’t need to tell us if this is making you uncomfortable.” Zuko knew she was trying to comfort him but she wasn’t helping. The rest of the team was now looking at him with great concern in their eyes.

“No. I’ll have to talk about it at some point. Might as well just do it now.”

“Okay.”  
“A-Anyways… One of the generals was presenting his plan and his plan was to send a bunch of soldiers who were not properly trained to fight the Earth Kingdom army. There was no way they would have survived. And because I’m an idiot, I spoke out against the general’s plan. I was disrespectful. For disrespecting the general, I was challenged to an Agni Kia.”

“What’s an Angi Kia?” Suki asked.

“It’s basically a duel between fire benders.” 

Suki nodded.

Zuko continued, “I was an arrogant thirteen year old so I accepted. I thought I could defeat the general, no problem.” Zuko took another deep breath. “What I didn’t know was that I wasn’t fighting the general. I had to fight my own father.” The team all gasped.

“Why did you have to fight your dad and not the general?” Toph asked.

“Because, my disrespect towards the general was also seen as disrespect against the Fire Lord.” Zuko began to pull grass out of the dirt, not looking at any of them.

“When… When I saw my father I refused to fight him. I begged for forgiveness on my knees.e walked over to me and told me that he ‘would teach me respect’. So as punishment for being disrespectful and weak, he… he b-burned my face and banished me. I could only return home if I captured the Avatar”

Zuko felt like he might pass out. Or start crying. Maybe both.

Sokka was the first to speak. “I’m sorry Zuko.” He now felt incredibly guilty.

Zuko was about to tell him it was fine before Toph spoke up.

“What the hell?!”

They all looked at her.

“How could he do that?! He’s your father!”

“It’s fine.” It was not fine. “My father never really liked me much anyways.”

Aang spoke up, “That doesn’t make what he did okay.”

Zuko only shrugged.

“You do know that right?” Aang asked.

“Know what?”

“That what he did wasn’t okay.”

“It took my three years, but yeah. I know that now.” 

“So that’s why you were so obsessed with chasing us down?” Sokka began to connect the dots.

“Did you think I voluntarily tracked you guys all over the world?”

“I don’t know.” Sokka now looked embarrassed.

“That’s still pretty messed up.” Katara said. There was a sad look in her eyes.

“It is what it is. I don’t need your pity.” Zuko looked down again.

“I don’t pity you, I just… It just really sucks that you had to go through that alone.”

“I wasn’t completely alone. I was lucky to have Uncle.” Zuko now felt guilt creeping up his spine.

Katara smiled at him.

Aang spoke up again. “Okay everybody! Group hug!”

As the others got up Zuko groaned. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he actually really enjoyed group hugs. Especially when he was in the middle of it.

“Thanks guys.” Zuko whispered just loud enough for them to hear.

They all looked at Zuko. They knew what he meant. Zuko felt at home.


End file.
